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>> and now "bbc world news america." >> reporting from washington, bbc will news america. 3 naida soldiers are killed in afghanistan in the three -- needles soldiers are killed in afghanistan in three separate attacks. in niger, a toxic mist is coming together. >> and diving into the abyss. director james cameron makes history by reaching the deepest part of the ocean in a submarine made for 1.

welcome to our viewers some pbs in america and also was around the globe. id has been another testing date for nato troops in afghanistan. 3 soldiers were killed in two separate incidents, apparently shot by the afghan forces supposedly their allies. one soldier was shot by a local policeman and earlier today two british soldiers a shot in the south of the country by an afghan army lieutenant. we have this from kabul. >> this is a tough conflict at the best of times, but for international trips, the risk of being shot by the very men they are training alongside is the hardest one they face. these deaths bring the total to 15 of british troops who led

died and in this way. >> details are still emerging, but it appears a member of the afghan national army opened fire, killing the two british service personnel. >> afghan anger has followed stories of burned copies of the koran, and then 17 villagers were killed by a one road soldier. in military jargon, nato is blue and afghan forces are green. news of a third green and blue -- green on blue attack today. six american soldiers died, including two inside the interior ministry at gobble.

one albanian was still close to the pakistan border and two french soldiers were killed in february. >> we're taking measures to make sure these incidents are kept to a minimum. it is a terrible tax though, isn't it? >> it is terrible. although the numbers are small, the effects are severe. >> the afghan forces will be ready to take on the taliban for themselves by 2014. thus the international resolve to stick to the plan, keep to the timetable. but however strong that may be, it is hard to see how it can be trusted on the ground with the soldiers of these different nations. the flags will be flying at half mast began tonight, as they have so often before. david lyon, bbc news, kabul.

>> for more on these latest attacks, including the death of that need a soldier at the hands of an afghan police officer, i spoke to our correspondent in kabul. >> which we know about these three killings? >> first of all, an afghan national army lieutenant shot two british troops in the capitol after he got into a horrible argument. the afghan the tenant was later on killed by other -- lt. was at -- afghan the tenant was later on killed by other british troops. the last 20 minutes or so, we have heard from afghan officials that members of the afghan police have told other members

in the southeastern province with the border of pakistan, the waziristan region. >> there is a growing number of so-called green on blue attacks with afghan forces turning a nato forces. is this increasing infiltration of the taliban, or is there a growing animosity towards the need of troops? >> for the last year-and-a- half, you've had several incidents where afghan soldiers have turned their guns on their nato counterparts. in some cases, you've also had afghan soldiers who were not mentally stable who have made their way into the police or army either by paying bribes or been linked to someone in the

country's security services. 1 afghan general describes the violence as spreading by -- like cancer. during no does -- cheering it does not help. >> thank you. let's check other top stories. the arab league on going -- envoy kofi annan says it the u.n. resolution cannot be put spawned indefinitely. he said today talking to officials from russia and after meeting in moscow, he called on all parties to accept change. the former head of the international monetary fund dominique strauss-kahn has been charged a fee in france for his involvement in a vice ring accused of buying prostitute's. he denies the allegation.

but benedict has at arrived -- pope benedict has arrived in cuba. is the second ever papal visit for the communist country, and the pope has been critical of the government, saying its marxist ideology is allocated. our correspondent is in havana for us tonight. >> thank you very much. welcome to the tropical island. this is just 90 miles from the tip of key west in florida, a world away from the western capitalist system. this is a socialist paradise. health care for all and not and equality for its citizens. -- and health care for a citizens'. it is not about the will of man. is about the will of god. is about the relationship between church and state.

>> there are just five communist countries in the world, and this is one of them. still frozen in a cold war with its superpower neighbor. or the same men in the same party have ruled for more than 50 years. but may no mistake. cuba is slowly changing. [bell ringing] catholics and the communists may answer to different masters, but the pious and the political now live side by side. the woman in white, the head of a group of activists who want to meet the pope. >> we're going to break for the freedom of political prisoners, and we ask the pope to give us an moment of his time. this is a very important moment, and we want him to tell

us there is no respect for political rights or prisoners in cuba. >> to speak out is still a risk in to buy. most of their hopes were to do just that, but the ladies in white group meets every week to pray. >> we're watching a small display of public defiance. they were specifically ordered to cease their protest. as you can see, they decided to defy that banned. -- that ban. perhaps pope benedict is listening. as he steps onto cuba side-by- side with raul castro. he says marxism no longer works.

all a bit embarrassing when your hosts are members of the communist party. >> do you agree with what the pope had to say today? >> no, no. we respect all opinions and welcome an exchange of ideas. we will listen to what people pass to set. >> what cubans ask for is a better life, relief from poverty. crippled by a u.s. embargo, it is a prayer neither the pope nor the party are liable to be able to answer. >> in the next hour, pope benedict will hold the first of tw -- two masses. he made interesting remarks when he landed at the airport in santiago. he talked about the just and legitimate desires of the cuban people, including prisoners and

their families, to allow -- criticizing the united states, and saying in the last 14 years, the conditions for the cuban people have deteriorated. >> a very fine line. you are talking about the comments that the pope made. another thing was "i am convinced cuba is already looking to the future and is trying to renew and broaden its horizons." how is that going to go down in havana? >> i think these kinds of events are very carefully orchestrated. there are never any real surprises. interestingly, the catholic church here has tried to work from the inside. rather than being a vocal critic complaining about the system, the treatment of political

dissidents, it has tried to work within. they are holding reasonably regular meetings with raul castro. they see this visit as enhancing that processed. he talked about the redundancy of marxist ideology. i think there is a sense here that things are changing, albeit very slowly. >> ok, thank you very much for joining us. the threat of famine is something people throughout the vast african sahara region struggled to cope with. is a landscape that the u.n. says puts more than 16 million people in seven countries and in danger of chronic food shortages. niger is particularly

vulnerable. the crisis could turn into a famine. andrew harding is in the region and it sent this report. >> we need an arms export -- an armed export. the islamist militants are becoming a growing threat in niger. the leader pounds grain. she has lost her husband and six children to poverty. this pitiful crop fed what is left for the family for a week. of course we go hungry, she says. "the rain does not come. ." there are almost no men in the village now. all have left in search of work.

2012 will be particularly tough. the harvest has failed. prices are shooting up. there is growing insecurity across the region. >> and so, the familiar warning signs. minor children in the local clinic. 400,000 children could be in this position within a month. when in 10 is likely to die. -- one in 10 is likely to die. >> if it is much worse already this year. we are seeing more children in a state of complete exhaustion. >> and yet, niger is not without help. niger finally has a democratic government there is acknowledging the crisis and cooperating with the outside

to preventing they famine. >> maybe in the future, we can recover. >> but that does not change the fact that the village well is not -- drying up. as a child, she remembers life was wonderful here. not any more. andrew harding, bbc news, niger. >> shining a light on distressing images. still to come on tonight's program -- keeping an eye on north korea. president obama attends a nuclear summit in seoul, its agenda determined by movements across the border. president obama's health care reforms are again in the

spotlight today in an historic drop. 9 supreme court justices began hearing three days of arguments about whether the law violates the u.s. constitution. four4.2, 3, u >> passion and politics on the steps of the supreme court. >> what do we want? freedom. when do we want it? now. >> the law that has come to be known as obamacare is being engaged in lively debate. >> [all talking at once] >> thank you for supporting the president. >> i am not supporting him. >> it only just passed congress before landing on the president's task. it promised coverage for millions of uninsured americans.

>> health insurance reform is the law in the united states of america. >> and the so-called individual mandate, citizens required to buy health insurance or face a penalty. now the supreme court must arbitrate. its findings could have enormous political implications. no surprise then to see one of the republican party's presidential hopefuls in the crowd. >> if you even want -- if you really want obamacare repealed, there's only one person who can make that happen. and that is someone who makes obamacare the central issue in this case. and that is what i do. >> not since the 1960's have the court spent so long discussing a single subject. paul adams, bbc news.

>> president obama is in the south korean capitol for nuclear security summit which is supposed to be about safeguarding stockpiles from terrorists. but as our sole correspondent -- seoul course on the reports, other things have dominated the discussions. >> president obama begin by reminding his chinese counterpart they had already met 11 times before. at the top of the list -- north korea and its nuclear program. non-proliferation, said mr. obama, the interest. he has already criticized china for not being tough enough. its approach to dealing with north korea was not working. he demonstrated a kind of message he wanted pyongyang to hear. >> this is the decision you must

make. today we say, opinion, have the courage to pursue peace and give a better life to the people of north korea. >> the american people, he said, had no hostile intent to the people of north korea, and was intent on reducing its own nuclear stockpile. >> i see this as president of the only nation of -- the only nation who has used nuclear- weapons, and most of all i say this as a father who once might 3 -- mike two young daughters to grow up in a world where everything we know and love will not be instantly wiped out. >> north korea has continued to dominate discussions peeping china has reportedly urged its delegation not to be consumed

with the north korean agenda, because that is not why they are here. >> this meeting is about preventing nuclear materials from falling into the hands of terrorists, not about nuclear disarmament. the north korea is just an hour drive away from here, and president obama's speech shows how much a part of the discussion it is. >> tomorrow -- for more on the north korean threat, i was trying to earlier by the former director of asian affairs at the u.s. national security council. thank you for coming into china's. let's talk about that perceived threat, becau -- coming in to join us. let's talk about that perceived threats. the north koreans announced they would launch a new long-range

missile. somewhat confusing messages? >> i think they are confusing messages. beijing not bode well for the direction this regime is selling. in 100 days since the north korean leader died, a lot of hope has been given. is been taken in on much different -- it has been taken in a much different direction. i think president obama's words are a good statement of that skepticism. >> and the fact that north korea is not on the agenda of the summit, but it has become the story, if you like. how worried is president obama about it? >> i think he is very worried about. north korea was always a big part of the nuclear security agenda. i think president obama is quite

concerned because this is a very serious threat. dismissal, if they launch it and it is successful -- this missile, if they wanted and it is successful, could be a threat to the united states. president obama is taking advantage of this opportunity of having 50 world leaders in seoul to prevent it. is not on the agenda. as your piece says, is about the securing of nuclear materials. it is one of those side bilats. >> you think president obama is using this sideline action diplomacy, using a foreign policy as a domestic election issue? >> you cannot say that there is

anything that is not politics. i think that is always part of that. i think the sentiments are quite genuine, not trying to get countries like china to stop doing the tests, but also strategizing, looking at what the u.n. security council should do if they look at this this month. >> thank you for coming in to speak to us. >> of pleasure. >> now from the caribbean peninsula to the pacific. -- the caribbean -- korean peninsula to the pacific. james cameron traveled 7 miles down into the mariannas french. -- trench. >> heading to the deepest place on earth.

finally, james cameron was away. it has taken him eight years to get to this point. release, release, released. and then a loan andnt grant inta tiny -- then alone and cramped into a tiny compartment. his soul is like an underwater tv studio -- his sub is like an underwater tv studio. [cheering] >> welcome back. >> this was really special. >> you got the titanic and the bismarck, and you were still only halfway there, two-thirds of the way they're. it is great. it is a heck of a ride. it is really down. >> james cameron is not -- james

cameron is the first person to travel into the trench in half a century. >> his interest as a storyteller, his competence as an engineer, he has access to resources and sponsors and made this come together. it probably could not have been done easily by any other combination. it is like the stars are in alignment. it all worked up. >> we know less about it, but now with the successful due speed -- d.c. -- deep sea exploration, and james cameron enters another era of exploration. >> remember you can get constant updates on our web sites. from all of us, we thank you for watching today and invite you to

please tune in again tomorrow. e maksense ofnt i>> make sensel news at bbc.com/news. >> funding was made possible by -- the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to understand the industry is to operate in, working to provide capital for key strategic

decisions. we offer expertise and tailored solutions and a wide range of industries. what can we do for you? was presented by kcet los angeles.